Southwest Rapid Rewards® points never expire. At one time, they did. Members had to show activity in their account at least once every 24 months to keep their points alive. But that policy is gone. Now, as long as the program doesn’t change its terms, your Rapid Rewards points will stay safe in your account until you’re ready to use them.
How to Earn More Southwest Points
There are plenty of ways to build your Rapid Rewards balance, from flying to shopping and dining.
Earning with flights
The most straightforward way to earn points is by booking Southwest flights. The number of points depends on the fare type:
- Wanna Get Away fares: 6 points per dollar
- Anytime fares: 10 points per dollar
- Business Select fares: 12 points per dollar
Unlike other airlines, Southwest doesn’t partner with other carriers, so you’ll only earn points on Southwest-operated flights.
Earning with partners
While there are no airline partners, Southwest has plenty of travel and lifestyle partners. You can earn points by:
- Booking hotel stays with chains like Marriott, Hyatt, and IHG (sometimes you’ll need to choose Southwest points instead of the hotel’s own rewards).
- Renting cars with major rental companies.
- Shopping through the Rapid Rewards Shopping portal.
- Dining at participating restaurants through Rapid Rewards Dining (bonus points for your first dine, writing reviews, and making reservations).
- Even sending flowers and gifts through select partners.
Redeeming Southwest Rapid Rewards Points
The best use of Southwest points is for Southwest flights. When searching, you can toggle between “Points” and “Dollars.” You can even make partial payments using points.
Redemption values vary based on the cash price of the flight — there isn’t a fixed points-to-dollar ratio.
Other redemption options include:
- Hotels and car rentals (generally lower value than flights)
- Merchandise and gift cards (also lower value, but a way to burn extra points if you don’t plan to fly soon)
Getting a Southwest Co-Branded Card
Chase issues five Southwest Rapid Rewards credit cards: three personal and two business versions. Annual fees range from $69 to $199.
Perks vary by card but can include:
- Bonus points on Southwest purchases
- Annual bonus points
- Discounts on in-flight purchases
- Tier Qualifying Points toward A-List status
- Benefits like EarlyBird Check-In
Credit cards also let you earn points on everyday purchases, not just flights. Closing a Southwest credit card won’t cause you to lose your Rapid Rewards points, since they live in your Rapid Rewards account — not your credit card account.
Reasons You Might Lose Southwest Points
While points don’t expire, you can lose them if Southwest closes your account for:
- Fraudulent activity
- Selling or bartering points or award travel
- Other violations of the terms and conditions
In most cases, Southwest will send warnings or inquiries before closing an account, but they do reserve the right to terminate membership without notice.
After death
Southwest doesn’t automatically close accounts when a member dies. Family members who know the login can still use points to book travel or pay the regular transfer fee to move them. However, Rapid Rewards points cannot be inherited, willed, or transferred to an estate.
Southwest Elite Status
Southwest Airlines keeps things simple with two elite status tiers: A-List and A-List Preferred. Both levels provide perks that make travel smoother, from priority boarding to extra points on flights.
Southwest A-List
To qualify for A-List status, you’ll need to complete 20 qualifying one-way flights or earn 35,000 tier qualifying points (TQPs) in a calendar year.
- TQPs are earned from paid Southwest flights and certain partner purchases.
- You can also earn additional TQPs with Southwest credit cards:
- 2,500 TQPs for every $5,000 spent on the Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card or Performance Business Credit Card
- 2,000 TQPs per $5,000 spent on the Premier Business Credit Card
- 1,500 TQPs per $5,000 spent on the Premier Credit Card
Note: Purchased points, bonus points, and enrollment bonuses do not count toward elite status.
A-List Benefits include:
- One free checked bag
- Priority boarding
- 25% bonus Rapid Rewards points on paid flights
- Free same-day standby and changes (on Wanna Get Away Plus fares or higher; taxes and fees may apply)
- Priority check-in and access to security lanes
- Dedicated A-List member phone line
Southwest A-List Preferred
A-List Preferred requires 40 qualifying one-way flights or 70,000 TQPs in a calendar year. It includes all the benefits of A-List plus:
- Two free checked bags
- 100% bonus Rapid Rewards points on paid flights
- Free inflight Wi-Fi
- Two free premium drink coupons on select flights over 250 miles
Official Policy
You can find confirmation of this policy in the official Rapid Rewards program rules:
- Southwest Rapid Rewards Rules and Regulations (The non-expiration of points is a core feature).
Summary
Southwest points don’t expire, which makes them among the easiest airline rewards to manage. The best value comes from redeeming points for flights on Southwest, but you can also use them for hotels, cars, merchandise, or gift cards.
As long as you follow the program rules and keep your account in good standing, your Rapid Rewards points are safe until your next trip.
Disclaimer: Program terms and conditions can change, although Southwest's policy of non-expiring points is a long-standing benefit. This guide is for informational purposes only.